By the end of the night, everything would be gone. The town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, would be burned to ashes. As many as 2,500 people would be dead.

    But that morning, October 8, 1871, 7-year-old John Kramer had no idea what was about to happen.

    It had been a big year for the Kramers. John, his parents, and his 9-year-old brother, Mike, had come to the U.S. from Germany in the 1860s. They later moved west and settled in Wisconsin.

    Thousands of new immigrants made the same trip west in the 1860s. They were lured by cheap farmland. They hoped to make a new life in the American wilderness.

    And what a wilderness it was!

    In the 1860s, most of Wisconsin was covered with forests. The trees were tall. There were wolves and bears.

    For centuries, these woods were mostly left alone by humans.

    By the time the Kramers got there, though, things were changing.

    By the end of the night, everything would be gone. The town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, would be burned to ashes, and as many as 2,500 people would be dead.

    But on that Sunday morning, October 8, 1871, 7-year-old John Kramer had no idea what was about to happen.

    It had been a challenging but exciting year for the Kramer family. John, his parents, and his 9-year-old brother, Mike, had come to the U.S. from Germany in the 1860s. They eventually traveled west and settled in Wisconsin.

    Thousands of new immigrants made the same trip west in the 1860s, lured by inexpensive farmland and hoping to carve a new life out of the American wilderness.

    And what a wilderness it was!

    In the 1860s, most of Wisconsin was covered with forests that held towering trees, howling wolves, and sharp-clawed bears.

    For centuries, these woods were mostly left untouched by humans.

    By the time the Kramers arrived, however, major changes were happening.

    In the late 1800s, American cities were growing fast. One of those cities was Chicago. Just 40 years earlier, Chicago was a small town on a marsh. By 1871, it was the fastest-growing city in the world.

    Chicago’s builders needed wood. They found it about 250 miles north in Wisconsin.

    Lumber companies bought land in the woods. They sent lumberjacks to chop down trees. They turned the trees into lumber for building. When a piece of land had no more trees, farmers like John’s parents bought it.

    The Kramers liked Wisconsin. They met other German immigrants. They built a house. The boys were doing well.

    Then came the fire.

    In the late 1800s, American cities were expanding rapidly. One of those cities, Chicago, had been a small town on a marsh just 40 years earlier. By 1871, it was the fastest-growing city in the world.

    Every day, new buildings were rising up in Chicago. Builders needed wood for all this construction, and they found it about 250 miles north in Wisconsin.

    Lumber companies bought up huge chunks of the northern Wisconsin woods, sent armies of lumberjacks to chop down trees, and turned those trees into lumber for building. When a section of land had no more trees, it was sold to farmers like John’s parents.

    The Kramers met other German immigrants and felt at home in Wisconsin. Within a year, they had built a house. The boys were doing well.

    Then came the fire.

    Fires were common in the northern woods of Wisconsin. Some were sparked by lightning. But most were set on purpose. Lumberjacks burned the branches they cut off the trees. Farmers used fire to clear away tree stumps and brush.

    The early fall of 1871 was a bad time for fires. Little rain had fallen over the summer. The Midwest of the U.S. was dry.

    In September, fires began to burn out of control in and near Peshtigo. They destroyed homes and shops. A big factory burned.

    The fires were scary. Some people left the area for good. But most families didn’t have the money to start again someplace new. All they could do was prepare.

    Farmers kept wet blankets in their barns to protect the animals from sparks. The Kramers cleared their land of dry brush and wood.

    But there was no way to prepare for the horror that was to come.

    Fires were common in the northern woods of Wisconsin. Some were sparked by lightning, but most were set intentionally. Lumberjacks burned the branches they cut off the trees, and farmers used fire to clear their land of tree stumps and brush.

    The early fall of 1871 had been a bad time for fires. Little rain had fallen during the summer, so the whole Midwest of the U.S. was dry.

    In September, a series of fires began to burn out of control in and around the town of Peshtigo. The fires destroyed homes, shops, and even the town’s largest factory.

    Those September fires caused fear in Peshtigo, and some people packed up and left for good. But most families, lacking the resources to start again someplace new, could only hope for the best and prepare for the worst.

    Farmers kept wet blankets in their barns to protect their animals from sparks. The Kramers cleared their land of dried brush and wood.

    But there was simply no way to prepare for the horror that was to come.

    On October 8, the sky glowed orange. Many small fires were smoldering in the woods. John’s parents knew danger was coming. They wanted to save their home and keep the boys safe.

    There was a big field on a neighbor’s farm. It had no trees or brush that could burn. Mrs. Kramer told the boys to go to the middle of the field and wait there. John and Mike did as they were told.

    Would they ever see their parents again?

    As the day went on, the smoke got thicker. The sky turned blood-red. Strong winds made the small fires grow.

    Finally, the fires joined together. They became one huge inferno. Flames shot high into the sky. Trees exploded from the heat.

    Around 10 p.m., the fire became a firestorm. These huge fires are rare. They happen when there are very strong winds—and a lot of trees and other things that can burn.

    On October 8, the sky glowed orange. Many small fires were smoldering in the woods. John’s parents knew disaster was coming, and they wanted to save their home and keep the boys safe.

    On a neighbor’s farm, there was a large field with no trees or brush that could burn. Mrs. Kramer instructed the boys to go to the middle of the field and wait there. John and Mike did as they were told.

    Would they ever see their parents again?

    As the day progressed, the smoke became thicker. The sky turned blood-red. Powerful winds swept in, causing the small fires to increase in size.

    Finally, those fires all joined together into one massive inferno. Flames shot hundreds of feet into the sky. Trees exploded from the intense heat.

    Around 10 p.m., the fire erupted out of the forest. It was no longer simply a fire but a firestorm. These rare fires happen when there are strong winds—and a lot of trees and other materials to feed the flames.

    John’s parents left their home just before the firestorm. They knew it would be destroyed. They took a mattress with them and walked toward the field where they had sent the boys.

    But they didn’t reach it.

    The wall of fire was now thousands of feet wide. It rose high into the sky and moved fast. 

    All seemed hopeless. Then John’s parents saw a well dug deep into the ground. They soaked their mattress with water from the well. Then they climbed into the well and covered themselves with the mattress.  

    The Kramers did not expect to survive the night. Neither did their sons. 

    The boys huddled together in the field as the fire continued to burn nearby.

    John’s parents left their home just before the firestorm. They knew it could not be saved. They took a mattress with them and headed for the field where they had sent the boys.

    But they didn’t reach it.

    The wall of fire was now thousands of feet wide. And it was moving fast.

    All seemed hopeless. Then John’s parents saw a well dug deep into the ground. That gave them an idea. They soaked their mattress with water from the well. Then they climbed into the well and covered themselves with the mattress.

    The Kramers did not expect to survive the night. Neither did their sons.

    The boys huddled together in the field. They watched as the huge fire burned nearby.

    John’s parents left their home just before the firestorm. They knew it would be destroyed. They took a mattress with them and walked toward the field where they had sent the boys.

    But they didn’t reach it.

    The wall of fire, now thousands of feet wide, rose high into the sky and was moving quickly.

    All seemed hopeless—until John’s parents noticed a well dug deep into the ground. They soaked their mattress with water from the well, climbed into the well, and covered themselves with the mattress.

    The Kramers did not expect to survive the night—and their sons didn’t either.

    The boys huddled together in the field as the fire continued to burn nearby.

    The fire raged for hours. It destroyed Peshtigo and 16 nearby towns. No one knows how many people died. It was likely between 1,000 and 2,500. 

    Amazingly, all of the Kramers survived. But the months ahead were hard. Their town was gone. Most of their friends were too. 

    The Kramers stayed in Peshtigo to help rebuild. Later John married and had six children. He was still living in Peshtigo when he died at the age of 81. 

    History has largely forgotten the Great Peshtigo Fire. But John’s grandchildren will always remember their grandfather’s story.

    He somehow survived the deadliest fire in U.S. history.

    The fire raged for hours. It destroyed Peshtigo and 16 other towns. No one knows how many people died. It was likely between 1,000 and 2,500.

    All of the Kramers survived. But life was hard. Their town was gone. Most of their friends were too.

    The Kramers stayed in Peshtigo to help rebuild. Later John married and had six kids. He lived in Peshtigo until his death at age 81.

    History has largely forgotten the Peshtigo Fire. But John’s grandchildren know his story.

    He survived the deadliest fire in U.S. history. •

    The fire raged for hours, destroying Peshtigo and 16 nearby towns. It’s impossible to know how many people died, but the number is probably between 1,000 and 2,500.

    Incredibly, all of the Kramers survived—but the months ahead were difficult. Their town was gone, and so were most of their friends.

    The Kramers remained in Peshtigo to help rebuild. John, who later married and had six children, was still living in Peshtigo when he died at the age of 81.

    Although history has largely forgotten the Great Peshtigo Fire, John’s grandchildren will always remember their grandfather’s story.

    He somehow survived the deadliest fire in U.S. history. 

_{Text copyright ©Lauren Tarshis}

_{Text copyright ©Lauren Tarshis}

_{Text copyright ©Lauren Tarshis}